The Weirdness of Computer Terms
To the utter computer neophyte, or the person just learning English, computer terms are pretty weird. Why do I want a rodent on my desk? Why not call it a clicker instead of a mouse? If I go to the computer store to buy a computer, they are going to ask me how much memory I need. My memory is good, thank you. I know all my kids’ birthdays and anniversaries, and I can remember my grandchildren’s names. That’s pretty darn good for my age! I get email, but what is exchange hosting? Something tells me it has nothing to do with having a foreign student come and live with me! Why do computers have bytes? Maybe they are taking a byte out of crime. Maybe they take a byte out of Internet crime. It would be really cool if they could take a megabyte out of crime! What is a driver? Is there a little car in there? If I’m the computer user, why am I not the driver? Or the pilot? No, I’m the user. Well, I have to admit I’ve heard that computers get addictive at times. So does voyeurism, another name for looking into Windows. But that’s illegal. Now, you’re going to ask me if I want PC or Mac. I don’t know! Who’s Mac? Who’s on first base? How do I know if there are Ethernet connections at my house? Does the Ethernet make me sleepy? I understand Internet because I once had to learn roots like inter in my English class, but to me a website is the place where Charlotte put up messages to save the pig! Speaking of Charlotte and pigs, what’s with a RAM? How many more animals do I need in this little box? I wasn’t planning to start a farm.